Breaker mechanism for distributors



1,526,697 P. E. DEMMEP. I

BREAKER MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTORS Filed Jan. 21, 1924 INVENTOR. Paul EDemmep Q .LEAJL,

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL ."El. DEMMER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO D. 80 W.SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

BREAKER MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTORS.

Application filed January 21, 1924. Serial No. 687,520.

To (ZZZ 107mm it may concern.

Be it known that I, PAUL E. DE-MMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Jose, county of Santa Clara, State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Breaker Mechanism forDistributors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in the breaker mechanisms oftimers and dis tributors, and particularly represents an improvementover the breaker mechanism shown in my Patent No. 1,501,442, dated July15th, 1924.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a breakermechanism capable of being able to follow up and aline itself with thecam shaft regardless of any eccentricity of the casing, as in theprevious type, but so constructed that the breaker points will alwaysmaintain the same alinement relative to each other. This I found fromexperiments was not the case with the previous form of mechanism, inwhich the construction of the/breaker arms permitted and caused anundesired weaving between the contact points, preventing them fromsquarely engaging with each other, as is necessary for efficientignition.

This defect I have eliminated with my present construction.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposesfor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a distributor or timer showing my improvedbreaker mechanism, with closed points and with the cam-shaftconcentricrelative to the timercasing.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the cam-shaft beingremoved.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but

with the contact points separated and the cam-shaft in an eccentricposition.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral 1 denotes the timer casing. of circular form, andof a size and general design to particularly adapt it for use on a Fordengine, the transverse wall 2 of the casing having a central orifice 2'concentric with the casing, and of suflicient size to receive thecam-shaft 3 therethrough and also allow for all possible eccentricity oflocation of said shaft relative to the casing.

Mounted on and projecting outwardly from the wall 2 adjacent the outeredge thereof and parallel to the shaft 3 is a rigid pin 4 forming thepivotal bearing of the ears 5 of a rigid yoke 6, substantiallysymmetrical on both sides of the pin and ears. The outer ends 7 of theyoke arms are parallel to each other and are spaced apart a distancesubstantially equal to the diameter of the orifice 2 Rigidly fixed onone end 7 is a fiat spring 8, extending past the orifice 2 The outer endof this spring carries a contact point 9. Rigidly fixed on the other endmember 7 but insulated therefrom as shown at 10 is a rigid arm 11,parallel to the spring 8 until past the plane of the orifice 2 and thenbending toward the outer end of the spring 8 as shown at 12, andterminating in a short portion 13 parallel to but spaced from saidspring.

An adjustable contact point let is mounted 011 said portion 13 inalinement with the point 9, being normally engaged therewith owing tothe spring 8 exerting its pressure in that direction.

The spring 8 and arm 11. are adjacent and parallel to the wall 2, withtheir greatest width at right angles thereto.

Fixed on the inner faces of the members 8 and 11, in dia-metralalinement with the orifice 2, are lugs 15 of fiber or similar hardinsulation material, said lugs being arranged to be simultaneouslyengaged, to separate the points 9 and 14, by a cam 16 of ordinarycharacter mounted on the shaft 3.

Between the periods of such engagement of the lugs with the cam however,the lugs are entirely clear of the cam, so as to allow the spring 8 toexert its influence in an unrestricted manner to hold the points and 14engaged.

It will thus be evident that the breakerarm unit being pivotally mountedon the casing, it can readily accommodate itself to any off-centerposition the-cam may have relative to the casing, so that the contactswill always be separated the same distance regardless of the camposition.

It will also be seen that by reason of the rigid connection between therigid arm 11 and the spring 8, these two will have at all times the samerelation to each other as though the pivotal connection were omitted,

and the contact points will make and break squarely and willalso be heldin definite alinement with each other at all times.

The breaker arms are of course connected or interposed in the circuit ofthe distributor and ignition system.

In the present showing, the spring 8 is connected through theyoke to thecasing through the pin 4, the casing being itself in the circuit asusual.

The arm 11 is connected by a flexible lead 17 to a terminal piece 18mounted on but insulated from the casing, said terminal piece-beingconnected to a condenser 19 and to acollecting ring 20 in the casing onthe innerlfaceof the wall 2 and insulated therefrom.

It is evident howeverthat my breaker construction is not limited in itsapplication' to any specific form of timer nor to any specificcircuit-arrangement, such features forming no part of my invention.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I'haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdet'ail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is: r

1. A breaker mechanism for distributors, comprising a spring arm and arigid arm insulated from each other and having normally engaged contactpoints at their outer ends, said arms being adapted to be pivoted incommon on the casing of the distributor, the arms being spaced apart adistance suf ficientto enable a separating cam being receivedtherebetween.

2. Abreaker mechanism for distributors, comprising a spring arm and arigid arm insulated from each other and having norm'ally' engagedcontact points at their outer ends,.and a rigid yoke'on which said armsare rigidly fixed adapted to be pivoted on the casing of thedistributor, the arms be 'ing spaced apart a distance sufficient toenable a separating cam being received therebetween. V

3. A breaker mechanism for distrlbutors comprising a rigid yoke adaptedto be ends and being arranged to receive a c'am therebetween to spreadthem apart.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PAUL DEMMER.

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